Save-A-Dive Kit Guide

A Save-A-Dive Kit is one of those things you don’t think about… until you really need it. Our Save-A-Dive Zip Pack is the soft, grab-and-go home for all the little spares and tools that can rescue a dive when something snaps, leaks or goes missing at the worst possible moment.

Below you’ll find four lists to build your own kit:

1. Essentials - for every dive bag
2. Travel extras - for trips and liveaboards
3. Cold-water extras - when the water (and the air) gets chilly
4. Going a bit more techy - for cameras & Tec divers (although for these you may want to get a bigger bag… 😊)

💡 Always check your own gear, hoses and manufacturer recommendations – you may need slightly different sizes or tools depending on your setup.

1. Essentials – what every Save-A-Dive Kit should have

Small spare parts

• O-rings in the sizes you actually use (for tank valves, hoses, etc.) - These also come in practical sets with silicone grease and small tweezers to handle them.
• Spare mask strap (or bungee strap) that fits your mask
• Spare fin strap / bungee that fits your fins
• Spare snorkel keeper
• One or two boltsnaps / carabiner (for DSMB, backup light, camera, etc.)

Tools & fixes

• Small multi-tool or mini screwdriver set (flat + Phillips)
• A few cable ties / zip ties
• A short length of thin bungee or elastic cord
• Tiny roll or folded strip of strong tape (electrical or gaffer tape)
• Silicone grease (for O-rings, not for every material – follow manufacturer guidance)

Comfort & “why not” items

• Travel-size reef safe mask defog
• Microfibre cloth (for masks and camera housings)
• A couple of spare batteries (if your torch or backup computer uses replaceable ones – and you know how to change them safely)

2. Travel extras – for trips, flights and liveaboards

When you’re travelling, a few extra bits in your Zip Pack can save time, stress and dives.

Documents

• Plastic or laminated copies of your certification cards
• Small card with emergency contacts / DAN or other dive insurance number / allergies

Electronics & accessories

• USB stick or SD card (for sharing photos, backups)
• Spare charging cable for your dive computer / camera
• Spare dive computer (if you still have your old one lying about…)
• Spare O-rings for your camera housing (if you use one)
• Lens cleaning wipes (single-use sachets fit nicely)

Travel “problem solvers”

• Small luggage lock or cable lock
• Folded zip-top bags (for wet bits, small parts, receipts)
• Tiny sewing kit / safety pins (for wetsuit zipper pulls, straps, etc.)
• Seasickness medicine / ginger in any form (you CAN puke into your regulator but it’s not an experience you would want to repeat…)
• Swimmers/Divers Eardrops of choice / special earplugs for divers (Doc’s Proplugs Vented or Surf Ears)
• If prone to ear infections: ask your doctor for antibiotic eardrops

You can keep most of these in your Save-A-Dive Zip Pack and then drop the whole pack into your carry-on or day bag.

3. Cold-water extras – when it’s chilly above or below

In colder water (and on colder boats), small failures are extra annoying because you don’t want to be standing around in the wind while everyone else dives. Here are some cold-water-friendly additions for your Zip Pack:

For exposure protection & seals

• Spare inner glove liners (thin fleece or wool)
• Small tube of neoprene or seal repair glue
• Seal repair tape or patches (for very temporary fixes on small nicks – if recommended by your suit manufacturer)
• A little talc in a tiny container (for latex seals, if you use them and your manufacturer recommends it)

For cold-water-specific kit

• Extra O-rings for drysuit inflator hose / cold-water regulators
• Spare bungee or boltsnap for SPG or long hose (especially with thick gloves)
• Chemical hand warmers (for surface intervals, pockets on the boat)

Again, check what’s appropriate for your particular drysuit and regulator setup – this is just a starting point.

4. Going a bit more techy – for Tec divers and Photo/Video nerds

For Tec divers & more technical setups

• Hardware & attachment
• Extra double-enders and boltsnaps (for spools, stages, long hose, backup lights)
• Short lengths of bungee and cord (necklaces, SPG, backup light attachment)
• A few metres of thin cave line / guideline for temporary fixes or tie-offs
• Spare D-ring or triglide keepers if your harness uses them
• Regs & hoses
• LP and HP port plugs
• Spare O-rings in the sizes used on your Tec regs and hoses
• Spare OPV or OPV O-ring where applicable
• Inflator quick-disconnect O-ring and, if relevant, a spare inflator button cap
• Mask, mouthpiece & notes
• Another universal spare mouthpiece + tie wrap (on top of your Essentials one)
• Spare mask strap or bungee strap
• Spare wetnotes pencil (or two), plus a tiny sharpener if needed
• Tools in the right sizes
• Small Allen / hex key set for your actual bolts and hose fittings
• Compact spanner / wrench sized for your regs (only if you’re trained and comfortable using it)
• Tiny multitool that genuinely fits the screws and bolts on your equipment

Camera & housing extras

• Spare O-rings for your housing and ports (exact types recommended by your manufacturer)
• Small pot of the correct O-ring grease (only what’s approved for your system)
• A few extra housing / tray screws or thumbscrews
• Spare action cam mount or base (for GoPro / Insta360 etc.)
• Anti-fog inserts or desiccant packs for housings
• Lens cleaning pen or soft brush

Lights & signalling

• Spare backup light (small, simple torch)
• O-rings for your primary and backup lights
• Spare tailcap / light screws if your model uses them
• Extra bolt snaps or clips to attach lights, camera, or spool
• Tiny tub of silicone grease for light O-rings (again, only if approved)

Power & cables

• Short USB-C / micro-USB cables for cameras, lights, or computer
• Spare charging clip for your dive computer (if it uses a proprietary one)
• Compact power bank (just enough for a top-up charge between dives)
• Labelled cable ties or velcro straps to keep cables organised

Data & mounting bits

• Spare microSD card in a tiny protective case
• Card reader if you like to back up between dives
• Extra adhesive or clamp mounts for action cams (helmet, hand, BCD, etc.)

💡 Tech tip: keep any very small items (O-rings, screws, SD cards) grouped in mini zip bags or tiny boxes inside your Save-A-Dive Zip Pack so they don’t disappear into corners on a rocking boat.

Packing it all into your Save-A-Dive Zip Pack

You don’t need to carry every spare under the sun. Think about:

• Where are you going to dive and how many dives will you do (local quarry day trip vs. week long tropical liveaboard)
• Which bits of your kit have failed or gone missing before
• What would immediately cancel a dive if you couldn’t fix or replace it?

Start with the Essentials, add what makes sense from Travel extras and Cold-water extras, and adjust over time as you gain experience.

🐠 Ready to build your own kit?
Pair this checklist with one of our Save-A-Dive Zip Packs and turn all these little spares into a beautiful, grab-and-go Save-A-Dive Kit.